Chevrolet Trailblazer

Chevrolet Trailblazer Preview

Chevrolet recently announced that it would be bringing the Trail Blazer [FV1] SUV to the Indian market. It had shown the car at the 2014 Auto Expo and is believed to have got a positive response for the display car.

It will slot in above the Captiva and is expected to be their first premium offering for the Indian market.

Exterior

The facia has the standard Chevrolet SUV look thanks to the split design and mesh grille. The headlights sit firmly at the edges of the bonnet while there are fog lamps as well as daytime LEDs. To add to the muscular stance, Chevrolet has also included a pseudo bull bar-like element to the bumper and has painted it black to give the grille a floating effect.

The side profile is typical SUV with three visible rows, a high roofline and sharply raked front windscreen and very softly flared wheel arches. We expect that the roof rails and 17-inch wheel will be standard across all variants. Chevrolet has designed the rear section in a boxy manner but has given it wrap-around tail lamps with chrome surrounds, a move that gives the SUV a premium look.

Interior

The Trailblazer gets an interior layout quite similar to that of the Chevrolet Cruze. The Thailand-spec car was kitted out in a brown and black theme, but we believe the final model for India that will be launched is expected to be offered in beige.

Standard features are expected to include climate control, Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, steering mounted audio controls and jump seats in the third row. It is possible that Chevrolet may also offer a video screen with a remote control for the second row.

Engine and gearbox

The India-spec Trailblazer is expected to be offered with the 2.8-litre four-cylinder mill which produces 200bhp and 500Nm of torque. There will most likely be only two LTZ versions one of which will be RWD while the other will be an AWD variant and both will only be offered with a six-speed AT.

Price and competition

The Trailblazer is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 32 lakh to Rs 40 lakh where it will compete with vehicles like the Volo XC60 and the Audi Q3. It will be brought to India via the CBU route from Thailand.